But, as The Mummy neared its twentieth birthday, moviegoers started to sense that they’d misplaced one thing vital. From social media posts to boutique bumper stickers, followers grew nostalgic for Rick and Evie. They didn’t lengthy to see the now-clunky digital results, nor did they actually care concerning the titular historical Egyptian villain (see: the tepid response to the horrible Tom Cruise model). No, they needed to see Rick and Evie battle and flirt with each other once more.
That need was solely stoked by the disastrous resolution to recast Evie for Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Reportedly, Weisz didn’t take care of the film’s script or maybe director Rob Cohen, who took Stephen Sommers’s place for the third film. Regardless of the motive, they selected Maria Bello to be the brand new Evie. Bello is a good actress and gave the impression to be a wonderful selection to interchange Weisz. However on the display screen, Rick and Evie felt much less like an thrilling pair of lovers and extra like a drained, bored married couple.
Which brings us to the current. On paper, the concept of a Fraser and Weisz reunion in The Mummy 4 sounds nice. Each actors have continued to do nice work since their final on-screen pairing, and the goodwill they’ve constructed up will definitely assist overcome any bumps within the new movie.
Nonetheless, The Mummy 4 remains to be a legacy sequel, one which must tackle the truth that a long time have handed since Rick and Evie first met. Their son Alex will himself be in his 40s now, and the duo will possible have been out of fee for some time. Earlier legacy sequels lean into time handed, and sometimes even have the central couple separated for one motive or one other: consider Indy and Marion within the final two Indiana Jones motion pictures, or the Creed motion pictures with Rocky as a widower after Adrian’s loss of life.
The Mummy 4 can not pull the identical transfer. No, they can not ignore the passage of time, and sure, we need to acknowledge that Rick and Evie aren’t the identical children they as soon as have been. However the film can not downplay their chemistry. Solely that electrical energy can revive the Mummy franchise from the useless, identical to the countless love that known as forth its central monster.
The Mummy 4 is ready for launch on Might 19, 2028.
